Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 273: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when a course (details supplied) will be recognised as an approved course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31084/05]

Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 282: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when a course (details supplied) will be recognised as an approved course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31160/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 273 and 282 together.

The higher education grants scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts 1968 to 1992. An approved institution is defined to mean a university, college or other institution of higher education in so far as it provides a course or courses of not less than two years duration at postgraduate level, being a course or courses of which the Minister for Education and Science approves for the time being for the purposes of the Acts.

The annual higher education grants scheme sets out a list of approved institutions for the purposes of the scheme. The approved institutions mainly comprise publicly funded third level institutions.

Stranmillis College, Belfast is included in the list of approved colleges under the Department of Education and Science's 2005 higher education grants scheme in respect of the following courses: B Ed degree of the Queen's University, Belfast; and postgraduate certificate in education. In addition on 19 October 2005 the awarding bodies were notified that two new courses at Stranmillis College were approved under the terms of 2005 higher education grant scheme. One of the courses was the course referred to by the Deputy and the other was Bachelor of Science — health and leisure studies.